I know it is early to be thinking about this, but I can’t help it! We won’t register yet for a few months, but I want to know.
What do I need for this baby?
All of you experienced ladies out there, please tell me.
- What should I register for?
- What don’t I need?
- What am I likely to forget?
I will say up front that I am not the minimalist type so I know I want more than a car seat and diapers.
- What is your favorite non-necessity that you wouldn’t want to be without?
- What did you receive as a gift that you thought you would never use and now you would replace it the same day if it broke or was lost?
- What were you sure you would want and you ended up selling it on eBay?
And while we are on the topic of shopping, where are the best places to look for nice but not outrageously expensive maternity clothing? I realized a few weeks ago that I have no idea where the maternity departments are in the stores around here. Good places online to shop? Great tricks or insights when shopping for maternity wear? I will have some casual things for around the house, but I also want some nice things for church and business meetings over the summer.
I look forward to gleaning from your collective wisdom!
“Pride and Prejudice” (2005) Review
Sallie, get to Kmart *today*! I was having trouble finding maternity clothes that aren’t too clingy (like Target) and stopped at Kmart last Thursday. They were having their seasonal super-clearance–I picked up 10 pieces of maternity wear for only $16 total. Most were all-season, sweaters, thin stretchy tops with matching skirts and palazzo pants, marked down to $1.50 and $2 apiece. If your store has already cleared out, even the regular prices are pretty reasonable. Happy hunting!
My gotta haves:
-a stroller that is lightweight. Some of those nice strollers with all the bells and whistles are just plain heavy and bulky. I had the graco metrolite (this was 2-3 years ago, so who knows what is out there now) and loved it. Go for lightweight, and make sure you got a cupholder!
-swing. Nothing too fancy…they have the mega swings out there. We had a basic one that you didn’t have to wind and it was great. All 3 of mine loved it. It can double as a high chair too when they first start eating foods.
My don’t-waste-your-time things:
-wipe warmers, bottle warmers, all those small gadgets….the best wipes can be a warm washcloth. I do love disposable wipes though!
-Fancy outfits. Those little sleepers with snappies at the crotch are the best for those newborn days. I always detested fussing with fancy pants and outfits when trying to change a really stinky diaper.
If you’re like me, you’ll love looking at everything for those months before hand. ENJOY IT!!! 🙂
I do not have kids, but when my SIL had a baby, I asked my friends what to get her. Here’s the top three answers I got:
1. If you plan to breastfeed, A boppy is a must. Even if you don’t breastfeed, many of my friends loved the Boppy. There are tons on e-bay.
2. You can never have too many onesies. Goodwill is a great source for onesies.
3. Even if you are not using cloth diapers, get a few packs anyway. Great burping rags for you!
My #1 must have……a baby sling. From what I’ve heard, you either love ’em or ya hate ’em, but I am in the love ’em camp. My son is 23 months old and we still use our sling sometimes.
Sallie…I second the cloth diapers for burp rags and the onsies. I always got a bunch of undershirt types of onsies for those outfits that are shirt and pants seperates. Babies can never keep their seperates from seperating (smile) so the undershirt onsie keeps their lil tummy covered and warm. If you have a girl, an undershirt onsie under little dresses keeps them more secure and snug too.
And I the thing I would replace the same day if it broke was our baby swing! It’s a must so you can keep baby entertained while getting a few things done while they are awake. When they were too small to sit up in it, I would wedge them in with blankies. lol
I started out with a sterilizer for baby bottles, then after the first baby, just stuck them in the dishwasher….they make a little rack you can get for the dishwasher to put the caps, nipples and rings in the dishwasher too.
A humidifier!
I noticed pretty maternity clothing sections at Penney’s and Sears recently.
Have fun shopping!!!
Christie
As I’m preparing for #2, there are a few must haves on my list that I didn’t have the first time around.
1) Ocean Aquarium Swing or a swing that tips back.
2) Baby Bjorn Carrier
3) A Battery powered mobile
Things I loved from the first time
1)The Boppy
2)Ocean Wonders Aquarium (Bump still uses this)
3)Medela Breast Pump (no one loves the breast pump, but this was handy)
4) Bouncy Seat
5) Stroller system – we also ended up getting one with a lighter stroller and boy am I glad.
We also had a saucer, a doorway jumper, a gymboree – those were so, so, but not necessity. We didn’t use a bassinet the first time. If I had a bigger house, I wouldn’t use it this time.
Kmart, Target and Kohls are great places for maternity. Or check to see if they have consignment shops in your area. This can help out as well with some baby stuff.
Don’t forget, yard sale season is just around the corner!
By the way, our due dates are only a few weeks apart…I’m September 21!
As I’m preparing for #2, there are a few must haves on my list that I didn’t have the first time around.
1) Ocean Aquarium Swing or a swing that tips back.
2) Baby Bjorn Carrier
3) A Battery powered mobile
Things I loved from the first time
1)The Boppy
2)Ocean Wonders Aquarium (Bump still uses this)
3)Medela Breast Pump (no one loves the breast pump, but this was handy)
4) Bouncy Seat
5) Stroller system – we also ended up getting one with a lighter stroller and boy am I glad.
We also had a saucer, a doorway jumper, a gymboree – those were so, so, but not necessity. We didn’t use a bassinet the first time. If I had a bigger house, I wouldn’t use it this time.
Kmart, Target and Kohls are great places for maternity. Or check to see if they have consignment shops in your area. This can help out as well with some baby stuff.
Don’t forget, yard sale season is just around the corner!
By the way, our due dates are only a few weeks apart…I’m September 21!
From what I’ve heard an electric breast pump is a must. I hear the others are pretty much worthless. Both of my sister in laws recommend Medela Pump in Style. It is quite expensive (over $200) but I hear well worth the money. I’m not ready to go out and buy one yet because I may not be capable of breast feeding. Most hospitals rent them so this is what I plan to do until I figure out if breast feeding is for me. You can also buy this pump second hand for less. This is completely sanitary because you can buy replacement hoses for about $10. Ebay had a ton of this particular pump on auction.
I had an Avent manual pump and I really liked it. Of course, being home all the time I didn’t have to pump much anyway. I think for the once-in-awhile bottle, you might not want to invest the money in a top of the line electric model…
Boppy – picked one up at a yard sale for the fourth baby and wondered why in the world didn’t I get one with number one?!! Those things are great!
A Pack N Play with a bassinet insert totally rocks. I used the same one through all four boys and it’s still going strong.
I highly recommend The Baby Bargains Book. It gives you a good idea of what you need, pros and cons of different brands, and places to shop. Some things like breast pumps and car seats you can get a better deal shopping online. Always look for online coupons also to save some extra bucks. Burlington Baby Depot usually has better prices than Babies R Us. Target and Walmart also have baby stuff at decent prices.
That said, here were my favorite things (in random order): Grace Snugride Carseat, Snap-n-go stroller (use with carseat), Bjorn Baby Carrier, Medela Pump-in-style, Some sort of swing, Bouncy seat, Carter’s sleepers, Carter’s or Little Tykes (Target) onsies, Gerber breast milk bags, Dr Brown’s or Avent bottles, Diaper Genie, Pack-N-Play, Miracle Blanket (for swaddling).
That reminds me…learn to swaddle! Huge help if you get a colicky baby, but was good for my happier baby also.
Things that I didn’t need: sling never worked for me, bassinet never needed, baby positioner for crib, sleeper gowns.
I got most of my maternity clothes at Target, casual and dressy.
I only have two kids but did A LOT of research before having my first so I enjoy sharing 🙂
Well, no good at recommending shops cos I’m not in the USA!
My absolute essentials were
1- Muslins (maybe what you call burp cloths)
2-Bouncer seat, and I had realised that it does not have to be a posh one. However, Babtbjorn do a fantastic one that I tried but it was way too expensive for me.
3-Baby grows and vests (onsies?) Too much hassle changing outfits….especially if baby is as ‘sick’as mine was.
I wish I had had- a swing/door swing. All my friends say their babies loved them.AND A COMFORTABLE FEEDING CHAIR-I BREAST FED ON THE BED OR SOFA AND IT WAS NOT ALL THAT SUPPORTIVE.If not possible then get good supportive pillows.
Tried a breast pump and just could not manage it but did fine breast feeding so I would hang fire on that one.
Don’t fuss about fancy cribs or anything like that. Clean safe and comfortable is all baby needs.
Kiddicare is a good online shop.
Enjoy looking at everything. You will be amazed how much people will give you when baby arrives.
Our glider. It was expensive to buy one that would asthetically please me, but oh! do I love it! My husband kept putting it off and putting it off (because of money), and when we finally bought one (after the babe had arrived) he apologized because I sat in it every spare moment! Target has some really handsome ones! (I prefer the glider to regular rocking chairs because they don’t scoot across the floor, and they aren’t much work to rock in.)
Oooooh…what a fun question. Of course I have to jump in and add my two cents. We have two items that have made it through five babies — and they are:
1. A bassinet with wheels. This has been my FAVORITE piece of baby furniture. Your baby can sleep in your room, or you can roll him or her into the nursery those first few weeks (a crib just seems so huge for a newborn.) Then when you have all that company over, you can roll the baby out to say let everybody say hello, then roll the little one back to your room or wherever is private. You can use a bassinet until the baby starts sitting up. They are just so sweet and cozy.
2. A pack ‘n’ play (portable playpen.) Gotta have one. Then you’ll always have a safe place for the baby to sleep when you visit relatives or stay in hotels. You can take it outside or to whatever room you’re in. Our same one has been used for over a decade — it’s a Graco.
Other must-haves those first six months — a baby swing! Yes, great for soothing fussy babies while you eat. Also, a bouncy seat of some sort is handy, so you can move the baby from room to room. Of course, a stroller and carseat. I think those combo sets are nice — if you can find one that folds easily.
I have to agree with the gal who mentioned the Avent breast pump. Yes, it is manual- don’t hate me all you die-hard electric pumpers- but it got 9 oz. of milk PER SIDE from this old gal. I also went through a period of time with one of my babies where I she couldn’t physically nurse and I had to pump every 3 hours and this Avent pump was truly a champ.
If you and your husband are outdoorsy (who in Michigan isn’t?) you may want to just splurge on a really good baby carrier like Baby Bjorn. Yeah, it’s near to a sin what they cost, but they offer great support for hiking, etc. And dad can use it too!
No babies of my own, but having helped raise my nephew here at home I was going to recommend a boppy and a play mat.
My sister loved using the boppy while nursing and whenever she was working at the computer. It allowed her to hold the kiddo without worry of him slipping or sliding around. It’s also great for propping the baby up either sitting or on tummy with his/her arms hung over the edge (dunno if that makes sense). Nathan always wanted to be up and looking around so it allowed him that ability without having to be held all the time.
The particular type of mat we have is from http://www.eichild.com (menubar > pre3child > explore > soft toys > page two. Sorry for the crazy directions, that’s much shorter than the link to the page). The mats are colorful and have fluffy plush edges to keep the baby relatively contained. Nathan loved the colors and enjoyed his tummy time on it. Now he’s two and a half and insists on having it on his bed so he can sleep on it every night.
I rented a pump from the hospital for the first month, while we were having trouble breastfeeding and I needed to keep up my milk supply. After that, the Avent Isis manual was wonderful for the occasional or daily bottle.
It has been 9 years since my last baby, so these comments brought a smile to my face. So, funny. Certain topics just tend to open the floodgates and cause much joy, don’t they ladies? I think each of these ladies hit the important items. I second the light-weight stroller that is easy to fold up and unfold.
Blessings!
Suzi
Wow! You have some excellent tips. Here are my thoughts:
Medela Pump-in-style – It’s lasted for 5 babies and replacement parts are easy to obtain.
Books, books, and more books – especially those with black and white pictures in the beginning.
A bright, busy mobile (battery powered is a must) 🙂 It might detract from a beautifully coordinated nursery, but it will entertain little eyes for months to come.
CD player and some excellent CD’s – I’ve heard about the benefits of playing classical music for newborns, maybe it’s true. I just loved hearing music (classical, lullabies, hymms, etc.) and I think my little ones enjoyed it too.
Although you won’t need one for a while, a good quality blender will make preparing homemade baby food a breeze. I’m so happy for you – Have fun shopping!
I second the glider! I have spent hours rocking sick toddlers in my glider, and now my almost-four-year-old still requests it when he injures himself!
The only thing I would add is for an older baby: Old Navy socks. And I think you can buy them online if you don’t have a storefront near you. Once a baby is trying to learn to walk, regular socks are so slippery, and yet the floors can be cold if it isn’t summer. These socks have nonstick grippers. I’ve tried other (cheaper) brands, but this is the only brand I’ve found (for the price) where the grippers don’t wash or wear over time.
Oh! Sallie, the sock reccomendation reminded me of Robeez(www.robeez.com). Oh Sallie, they are *too* cute and they stay on like no other shoe or sock. I don’t even put socks on my littlest because these shoes are so wonderful. They sell lots on ebay, but the prices are comparable to just buying them new. You can also find the same type at http://www.star-child.co.uk which are precious, too. Target sells them cheaper, but not as cute IMHO. I get a pair of these for all the new moms. They are worth every penny. We have tile floors, so my babe is rarely without his on. It’s just like being barefoot!
I’ll add a german style diaper changing table. I had never had a changing table before because I had always found them more trouble than they are worth- too narrow and who wants to change baby sideways? Compared to what is offered in the States a bed or couch and a plastic cover is much better.
But the ones I have seen here made me really want to get one for our second child. They are about 2 1/2 feet wide and deep so Baby has to roll twice to reach the edge and the space is so big I still dress my 2 year old on it without worrying. We found one at IKEA that is not only a changing table, but also a dresser and I love it. Not only that, but IKEA sells the same ones in the States!
Here’s a link so you can see the difference.
http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_US/our_products.html
Opps, don’t want your comments page to be a mile wide, so I’ve just included the front door to IKEA. If you go to ‘Children’s IKEA’ and find ‘Changing tables’ under ‘Children’s Furniture’ you will get to the right page. The one we got is DIKTAD. I do find ours annoying when I need to get clothes out of the lower drawers unless I fold up the shelf. I would buy ours all over again anyway, though, especially since this is a piece of furniture we will be using long after our youngest is out of diapers.
There are a couple of IKEAs in the Chicago area, but they will deliver right to your house too. Be sure to check out all their kid’s stuff, most everything they sell is really great and very well priced.
My “baby” is nearly 15 but now with 6 grandbabies, 2 of them at my house nearly every day, I am enjoying all the “newfangled” things that are available. Here is what were/are must-haves:
1. a sling ~ I never used one, probably hadn’t even seen one, but let me tell you, they are like a miracle elixir for a cranky baby! http://www.kellymom.com has a great article on finding just the right sling for you. My daughter loves the Maya Wrap pouch and so did baby Jude who was so sad he outgrew it! My son-in-law also like the Maya Wrap because the ring made it adjustable so he could wear it. Let me tell you, real men where babies! Are you listening, David?
2. Those little socks/booties that are thickly ribbed at the top so they never come off. They were the Humpty Dumpty brand when my kids were little but I haven’t seen them around here lately.
3. cloth diapers You will use them for everything even if not as diapers. But I loved/love diapering a baby with a cloth diaper. Their little bums are just soooo cute!
4. pacifiers, binkies, or whatever you will call them. I never experienced having them cause nursing problems and be sure to keep about 6 on hand because you will want them in the middle of the night and don’t want to stumble around looking for them.
5. a cute purse that can double as a diaper bag. I hated those cutsie diaper bags with little elephants or whatever plastered all over the outside. You will find out that you only need to carry about 1/4 of the things you think you need…just change of clothes, diapers, wipes, binkies, that’s it. Believe me, those diaper bags only add to the doudy feeling you have when you smell like spit up and look like you haven’t slept in weeks!
6. some sort of changing table it can be awfully hard on your back to bend down on to a bed to change a diaper. And you really don’t want to have to change all your sheets if junior sprays, which he always does, as soon as the diaper is off.
7. maternity clothes that look like they were made for an adult to wear, not a teenager. This can be tricky. But if you buy a few nice things that fit well, it will make all the difference in the world. I would go to a nice store and pay a little more and have fewer things that can mix and match. And stay away from those huge smocks that don’t look good on anybody.
8. nice smelling lotions, for baby and for you. We love the Baby Magic smell. Also, now is a good time to pamper yourself with your favorite scents. And be sure to pack a pretty nighty/nighties and your favorite cologne, perfume for the hospital along with a make-up bag. A manicure and pedicure also might be fun, especially during the last 3 months when you can’t even see your own feet!!!
Sallie, I’m still so excited for you and I’m praying for you every day. For must-haves, I second the glider, cloth diapers (for various uses), and the dishwasher bottle nipple holder thingie. One other thing I have not noticed on your list is a book called When Do I Call the Doctor? I don’t know if it’s still in print, but there must be something similar out there now. We have used it A LOT, and continue to use it now. One final thing I would recommend: start looking for lullaby tapes/CDs now. Some are wonderful, some not so much. I had a few favorites, and then made up a composite tape of our own. (We had our kids before CD burners.) I loved rocking and singing to my children.
Blessings to you as you get ready for Baby!
Yes, Karen, I hear you.
Sallie and I had this discussion the other day and I *DO* plan on “wearing” the baby. I would be proud to do so. Frankly, I find it sad that some men are too proud (in the bad sense of the word) to do so. I figure it this way, since Jesus used the analogy of being a mother hen gathering the children of Israel in His arms, shouldn’t we as men be willing to be nurturing in an affectionate way towards our own earthly children?
Do you and your husband do alot of walking, running or hiking? If you do, you must get a BOB sport utility stroller. We have a Duallie model, and both our 5 and 3 year old kids still ride in it. We’ve taken it on trails and all over the place. I highly recommend! We’ve used it WAY more than our regular travel system stroller. Worth the money.
Other things I am glad we have for baby:
-Baby Einstein videos (I esp. like the first ones like ‘Baby Bach’-‘Baby Shakespeare’-‘Baby Mozart’, not the ones that Disney has done so much)
-BuggyBagg if you’re a germophobe
-Of course, a Baby Bjorn carrier
-an exersaucer
-a doorway jumper (quite entertaining)
-a bouncey seat that vibrates
-those little velcro-on wrist rattles
-I love the Swedish Mocassins for baby at hannaanderrson! They don’t come off baby’s feet like socks do, plus they just look so cute and soft.
-I’m not a huge fan of bibs, but these Kippiis bib clips are cool. You use the clips with whatever towels, napkins or rags you have on hand. You can order them from onestepahead.
-also from One Step Ahead, look for these disposable Table Toppers that work great when you go out to eat when baby is just learning to feed him/herself.
-I have both a Medela electric Pump-in-Style and the Avent Isis manual pump. Both work great!
-I recommend the Avent Electric Steam Sterilizer instead of the less expensive microwave sterilizer. . . I’ve sterilized breast pump parts, pacifiers, bottle equipment, sippy cups, etc. without worrying about melting anything. Before I had the steam sterilizer, I melted some things. :0
-one of those easy-to-zip in and out of carseat liners so you don’t have to pack baby in the car seat with a ton of blankets that don’t fit well around the carseat straps!
-one of those earscan thermometers. . . I know they say to take rectal temps on newborns and babies, but this has been a huge help and relief for me. The husband and I also use this for ourselves when we are sick too.
-comfy glider with ottoman! Our’s still gets use everyday when we read to our 3 year old!
And oh yeah, if you are going to have baby sleep in your room for any bit of time (before he/she can sit up or pull up), I highly recommend some kind of bassinet that you can put next to your bed for nighttime convenience. I had a newborn 10 pound baby, and we were fortunate enough to get one of those larger Graco bassinets so that it lasted longer for our big baby.
I could think of so many more things. . .
Things I wouldn’t buy again:
-cheaply made clothes! They shrink in the wash so you might as well pay more for a few clothes that stay in better condition longer than buy a ton of outfits baby can only wear a few times.
-an expensive humidifier/vaporizer unless we absolutely needed it.
-a full size highchair.
-one of those Diaper Genies. It’s easier, cheaper and less smelly just to dispose of diapers knotted up in plastic grocery bags in your regular trashcan. If the diaper is that offensive, immediately take it outside anyways!
My brain is fried this AM. That’s all I can think of at the moment. Have fun!
Emily